Our perspective regarding something or someone’s true value, importance, or significance can change in an instant. Henry David Thoreau once said: "The question is not what you look at, but what you see." It truly is all about perspective.

The viewpoint from which we look at life circumstances (perspective) strongly affects our daily thoughts and feelings. And, these thoughts and feelings drive our reactions, actions and behaviors. When was the last time you actually stopped and looked at something from a different perspective? When did you see -

• A beginning rather than an end?
• An opportunity rather than a problem?
• Something possible rather than impossible?
• Another person’s point of view rather your own?
• How you made others feel rather than how you felt?
• Counting your blessings rather than adding up your troubles?
• Hope rather than fear? 

If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at may change.  What different perspectives would make your life even richer?  You can choose to change them in an instant.

Here’s a very recent example from my personal life.

After a long, brutal 14.5 months with stage 4 pancreatic cancer, my bride of 35+ years (Pat) took her last breath. We were there by her side. Whispered in her ear. Stroked her ashy-colored temples. Shed a few tears on her sunken cheeks and kissed her for the last time. 

Pat had spent her last two months exclusively in a hospital or hospice home. Despite this challenge, over 150 different people came to visit her, in what we now lovingly call her “living visitation.”  And, five days following her death more than 350 people came to her life celebration at church.  There were literally hugs by the hundreds. We were so very blessed.  

Fast forward just three days later. The COVID-19 pandemic had rapidly spread and was creating devastating human sickness and loss worldwide. Restrictions - personal, organizational, and cultural - were increasing globally. Our state enacted a “shelter in place” which affected schools, business, and overall life. Churches and church services were not exempt. Based on CDC guidelines, funerals and visitations could only proceed for immediate family members but not exceed 10 people. Social distancing was to be observed and no physical contact.

How quickly perspective changed on an essential part of healing – mourning for someone who had just died. Important rituals like funerals and memorial services, where families could outwardly express their grief and others could pay tribute to someone they cared about and loved were gone. Seeking and giving comfort through human touch was also eliminated.

During Pat’s battle with cancer, many ‘traditional’ perspectives were challenged. Here are just a few that stand out:
 

• Warrior. Pat didn’t wear any protective armor or wield any weapons. There was no ‘basic training’ to prepare her for her personal ‘conflict’ with this terrible disease. But her inner strength, courage, and determination to battle through ten rounds of chemo, multiple surgeries, and an immunotherapy drug trial were intense, relentless, and remarkable. She was a true warrior who fought till the very end.
• No ordinary moments. We stopped taking the simplest things for granted such as eating, leaving the house and not being ‘tethered’ to the toilet or an IV bag, and sleeping soundly. Doing things together (work or pleasure) became priceless. Laughter and silliness were treasured to combat all the stress and pain. Visits with family and friends were even more cherished. We had a greater appreciation for every extraordinary moment we previously thought was just ordinary.          
• Tests of time. We were reminded that it’s extremely difficult, if not impossible, to buy time; call time out; or beat the clock with stage 4 cancer. Time wasn’t money – it was a zillion times more valuable to spend time together. Killing time was wasting a precious gift. And, there was no better time than the present to share heartfelt feelings, concerns, and joys.
• Beauty. As the cancer and the chemo drugs continued to breakdown and destroy Pat’s physical body things like loss of weight and muscle tone accelerated. The importance of things like bouncy, curly hair; a glowing complexion; and the ‘right’ curves lost their value. Instead, Pat’s ultimate beauty from inside shined brighter than ever. Her smile lit up everyone’s spirit. Her eyes reflected deep emotion, care, and love. The touch of her hand brought immediate warmth deep, deep inside you. Her beauty blossomed.

 
When asked the greatest lesson she had ever learned, Pat’s reply was “you can never give enough” and “you can never love enough”.  These two perspectives defined how she looked at life, related to people, handled challenges, and lived day-to-day. We were so blessed by her perspective and to be a part of her life’s journey.

​As Anne Rice reminded us, “One moment the world is as it is. The next, it is something entirely different. Something it has never been before.”  Maybe it’s time to stop and look at someone or something from a different perspective!

​Do you remember asking for and then spending hours playing your favorite board game with family and friends?  The global board games market is currently worth over $3.2 billion and is surprisingly set to more than double by 2021 according to board games market value data on Statistica.
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One popular style of board game is tile-based.  Classics like Scrabble, Dominoes, and Mahjong require strategy, quick analysis and deduction, as well as not being afraid to take risks. So what if there was a simple business strategy tile game that could help drive rich dialogue and assessment?  Why not try this one?

Objective: Gain consensus around the table as to the current and desired state of your business culture looking at three major stakeholders – customers, financial supporters, and employees. 

​Instructions:

1. Each player has the same three tiles plus an addition and equals sign.  Each player must use all the tiles in each round to create a simple equation (A+B=C) that describes their business culture. Round 1 is your current state. Consider the consistency or inconsistency in everyday behaviors you experience (culture). NOTE: when debating the word “happy” consider options like “raving” or “loyal” customers; “engaged” employees; and “strong, sustainable profitable growth”.

​2. Common answers include:

3. Allow 2-3 minutes for each ‘player’ to complete their tile equation. Then, review each player’s equation and discuss:

• Similarities and differences?

• When considering the most often created equation by all of the players, does it differentiate your organization’s
  • Competitive position?
  • Ability to attract, engage, and retain talent?
  • Attractiveness to invest in long-term?                           
• Currently, what might be being ignored or tolerated (performance and/or behavior) in the most often created equation?
• Is the most often created equation sustainable?  Why or why not?

​4. Round 2.  REPEAT tile equation exercise individually but this time describe your ‘desired or future’ culture. Discuss:

• What, if anything, changed individually and/or collectively from Round 1?
• Are there subtle or dramatic changes needed from your current to desired culture?
• Can your organization afford to just keep the everyday behaviors it currently has? 

​Winning: Organizations that can build true consensus and then inform, teach, and reinforce everyday behaviors aligned with their desired cultural state will ultimately WIN. These organizations will not be afraid of allocating quality time, money, and talent to positively differentiate their business culture.  And they will proactively address signs of people avoiding accountability at ALL levels.

WARNING:  Joint research by Duke and Columbia University found “more than half of the senior executives surveyed said    that corporate culture was one of the top three drivers of firm value. And 92% said that improving their culture would increase their company’s value.”  Denying or skating by the importance of business culture could create a “choking hazard” that restricts the fuel for growth and sustainable performance. And, we are talking REAL not “monopoly money”.    

​A 2019 survey of 400+ U.S. internal communicators at organizations with more than 1,000 employees found:

• 75% of respondents were spending more budget on employee engagement than they were two years ago
• 85% of respondents said that it’s a challenge to measure whether internal communications have a positive effect on employee engagement
• Bottom line - companies were making employee engagement a greater priority than ever before—yet they still can’t successfully measure whether their investment is delivering results.

Internal communicators play an important role in employee engagement.  Their skills and abilities are absolutely critical to assist leaders and organizations to:

• develop and refine core messaging
• customize content and suggested delivery for audiences
• develop and execute plans to ensure information timeliness, frequency, and consistency
• create effective and efficient internal communication processes
• support, coach, and remind leaders of the importance of communication   

BUT, an internal communicators’ role in employee engagement and communication is only part of the story. Internal communicators must actively partner with leaders. Leaders must be strong and active role models in communication and engagement. They can’t be passive or simply delegate responsibility to others.  
  
Based on 15+ years of studying, researching, planning strategy, and most importantly successfully executing employee engagement initiatives, I believe it’s a ‘game changer’ when high expectations and accountability are placed on leaders in these two areas (communication and engagement).
 Let’s remember:

• There is a huge difference between information and communication. Information is giving out.  Communication is getting through.  Many employees today are bombarded with information, especially through the use of new technologies, but starving for understanding. Leaders can ‘feed’ this need.

 

• Most communication is non-verbal. We look for facial expressions, body language, eye contact, hand gestures, as well as listen for tone, inflection, and loudness in communication. Leaders can either add or reduce the credibility of the information provided. 

 

• Communication has at least key three steps – share information; generate understanding; and reinforce key messages. Leaders are the linchpin for steps #2 and #3.

 

• To maximize engagement organizations must balance high tech and high touch communication. High touch (interpersonal) is best when we need to persuade, make tough decisions, have frank conversation on behavior or performance, and develop or mend a relationship. Leaders have the largest opportunity to deliver high touch communication.

 

• Effective communication should help each employee better understand what they need to stop, start, or continue doing (behaviors and performance). Who best to clarify and connect the dots (create alignment) then their immediate supervisor?

 

• Formal surveys are only one way to measure employee engagement.  There are many informal ways leaders can keep their finger on the engagement pulse.  Leaders can look for patterns of behavior including employees:
  • Consistently arriving right at start of shift and leaving as soon as the clock strikes quitting time
  • Physically attending meetings but mentally checking out by not paying attention or participating
  • Willingly wearing or carrying items (clothing, backpacks, folders, pens, etc.) with your business name or logo on it
  • Referring potential candidates for openings within your team – being advocates
  • Participating in recent optional or voluntary events and activities

Poor communication limits an organization’s ability to optimize performance. Please don’t scan, skim, or skip over a critical part of the communication/employee engagement story. Don’t overlook arguably the most important piece – leaders’ ability to effectively communicate.   It could have a HUGE impact on your story’s ending. 

I’ve always been drawn to the photo above and its caption – The world is changed by our example, not by our opinion. This month a SIGNIFICANT opinion was changed and documented by nearly 200 CEOs on the “purpose of a corporation.”  I applaud this first step.

These CEOs are part of the Business Roundtable, an association of chief executive officers of America’s leading companies.  In total, these CEO members lead companies with more than 15 million employees and more than $7 trillion in annual revenue.  Here’s the radical change:

• Since 1997, this group of corporate leaders has agreed on a principle – "The paramount duty of management and boards of directors is to the corporation’s stockholders." The interest of other stakeholders was "only relevant as a derivative of the duty to stockholders."
  
• Now this influential group is broadening its definition. It suggests ALL stakeholders should be considered in business decisions for the future success of companies, communities, and our country. More specifically:
  • Delivering value to customers.
  • Investing in employees.
  • Dealing fairly and ethically with suppliers.
  • Supporting the communities in which they work.
  • Generating long-term value for shareholders.

Some corporations will immediately point out their core values as evidence they are already “walking the talk.” But here’s a reality check - that’s just the SAY portion of the equation.  The DO (actions and behaviors) is equally if not more important.  Ultimately when the SAY and DO are aligned we usually GET a positive result or perception.  When they are inconsistent and/or misaligned there is increased risk of credibility, trust, character, and reputation.

Consider that it’s easy to SAY:

• “Meet or exceed customer expectations” but what does your organization DO when there are specific delivery or reliability issues? 
• “Deal fairly and ethically with suppliers” but what does your organization DO when significant, non-forecasted demand spikes or drops?     
  
• “Invest in employees” but what does your organization DO when positions are outsourced / streamlined / eliminated?  Does the work get reduced or simply reallocated to already busy staff?    
  

Here are four additional, practical steps I hope that many organizations will consider and then DO.

1. CLARIFY which principle their organization embraces – exclusive or inclusive stakeholder(s).  Then document it and communicate it broadly internally and externally.
2. ACTIVELY MEASURE and proactively address how frequently “stakeholder sweet spots” are hit (where action benefits multiple stakeholders at the same time compared to one exclusively)?
   
3. INCREASE ACCOUNTABILITY and start with leaders.  Accountability should be a personal choice, to proactively influence, take ownership, and deliver desired results. If one or more stakeholders are getting little to no attention, resources, or action – address it. 
4. ASK DIFFERENT QUESTIONS.  Consider questions such as, how many of your current employees:
   1. Need to have a second job (full-time and/or part-time) in order to make ends meet?
      
   2. Qualify for and/or depend on any type of government assistance to survive (food, childcare, healthcare, etc.)?
      
   3. Would voluntarily leave if the right financial package were offered?
      

      
Or questions like:

1. Are we competing with our suppliers for the same limited talent pool?
2. How many suppliers are too dependent on us?
3. How is our benefits strategy impacting local community health care services and costs?
4. How have mergers and acquisitions impacted local community primary and secondary education institutions?

The Business Roundtable’s new policy statement on the “purpose of a corporation” acknowledges each individual company serves its own corporate purpose. What business executives and Board of Directors will step out and truly model Benjamin Franklin’s famous quote - “Well done is better than well said.”  Let’s see what individual businesses will actually SAY but more importantly DO regarding their purpose!

More than eighty years ago, Harvard began what has been called ‘the most comprehensive longitudinal study on adult development’.  And, amazingly the study continues today. Its’ overall conclusion is simple and yet challenging to always achieve – “Good relationships keep us happier and healthier.”

The study makes three major points:

1. Social connections are really good for our health and well-being.
2. It’s the quality not quantity of our close relationships that matters most.
   
3. Good relationships protect both our bodies and brains.

Perhaps that’s why:

• Gallup has asked the question, “I have a best friend at work” in its’ Q12 Employee Survey to millions of employees.
• A ten year research study showed “as much as 35% of the variability in discretionary performance of employees is a result of their manager’s style and behavior.”  
• A Fortune 100 company found that employees who felt their boss showed “genuine interest and concern for their well-being” had engagement levels 30+ percentage points higher than their counterparts.
• Research has also found that our brains work better when we feel positive.  So, important things in business such as creativity, decision-making abilities, and fewer errors (by staying more focused) are impacted.
• People stay where they are happy and also have higher levels of attendance.

Which leads me to a practical question – what can businesses pro-actively do to assist professional, quality relations in the workplace?  I’m suggesting things well beyond the traditional boilerplate statements many organizations make about harassment, diversity, and inclusion.

Below is a quick Internal Quality Relations (IQR) Assessment I use with clients. Please score each question either 3 = very consistent; 2 = inconsistent; or 1 = very inconsistent.

In our organization, internal quality relations (IQRs) are critical to our success so we:

• Highlight these desired behaviors in living our values?
• Review our spans of control (supervisor to employee ratios) to allow time to build quality relations?
• Clarify specific expectations for both leaders and employees?
• Hold everyone accountable for building and maintaining internal quality relations?
• Pro-actively address ‘destructive’ relations in the workplace?
• Monitor key internal relations using different assessment tools?
• Include their importance in our orientation and onboarding?
• Teach everyone effective ways to handle differences of opinion and resolve disagreements?
• Conduct ongoing cross-functional teams to minimize ‘silo thinking and limited relations’?
• Hold networking activities so employees can easily ‘connect’ with others outside their workgroup?
• Select people (new hires and internal promotions) who exhibit strong relationship building skills and get results?
• Factor relationship building behaviors in both recognition and reward activities?

Next Steps. Items rated a “‘3” above - how do you leverage these behaviors?  Items rated “2” or “1”- start by picking one item to proactively start addressing, over the next 30 days, which would significantly impact relationships in your workplace.

When relationships are non-existent, unsure, tense, or broken then many employees will react with unproductive behaviors including:

• Closing off real dialog
• Overreacting to feedback
• Second-guessing decisions
• Resisting change
• Overstepping boundaries
• Manipulating information and situations
• Blaming others          

It’s impossible to keep 100% of employees happy all the time, but enabling sincere, honest, trusting relationships can make a huge competitive difference. Let’s remember that the opposite of relationship includes: division, dispute, dissension, disengagement, and even divorce (leaving). And, in life and work – rules without relationships equals resistance. Can your organization afford the waste of time, money, and human capability created by poor internal relations? Good relationships just don’t happen.  Is it time to be proactive and address?

Pod D is a wing of our local cancer center where chemo treatments are given. It’s where we have spent considerable time over the past four months as my beautiful bride of 35 years battles pancreatic cancer. 

There’s nothing unique about the physical layout or equipment in Pod D. There’s lots of sterile stuff.  And, the nurses’ station with PC’s, pharmaceutical dispensing devices, IV poles, patients’ reclining chairs; and caregivers’ straight back chairs could be found in many other medical settings.   

What makes Pod D so different is the emotional environment and the people – staff, volunteers, patients, and caregivers.  Their collective attitudes and behaviors have reminded us in this time of personal anxiety, shock, and unknowns of some timeless truths. While the following seem self-evident and hardly worth mentioning – they are in fact priceless if consistently lived out in families, neighborhoods, schools, churches, and businesses.     

Here are a few truths that have been reinforced in Pod D:  

• Escaping is not optional. Pains, hurts, disappointments, and tears happen in life. We can’t escape them all by blaming others, buying something, or refusing to accept reality. But a positive attitude and mental outlook can be very helpful and healing.  Attitude is everything!
• Life is lived through perspective.  Being tethered to an IV pole or the toilet for severe side effects of chemo is excruciating. But, amazingly it feels just a little bit more bearable when you meet two brothers sitting side by side and both are getting treatment or a young father eating popsicles from his 3 year olds giraffe insulated cooler to reduce his mouth sores from his 12th chemo treatment. Even a small change in one’s perspective can change his/her outlook on a specific situation and/or life. How many things or people in life have we looked at and never really seen?
• Each step is a step. Treatment, improvement and healing are one step at a time. NO fast track. Sometimes it means reinventing a daily routine or creating a new habit. Sometimes it means celebrating small successes like fewer trips to the bathroom. But every step adds up to a bigger thing. Speed is not as important in life as direction and the will and strength to not stop.   
• Walls and fences divide and separate. Pod D has minimized any walls of bias. Patients and caregivers spend little to no time or energy on differences (like the type of cancer one has, gender, ethnicity, age, or economic status) but instead focus on what they are battling in common. Most often we exchange experiences, words of encouragement, some laughter and a few tears. There’s compassion from feeling sorry WITH people not for people.
• The secret to living is giving. A literal army of volunteers serve at the cancer center. Some are survivors. Others have lost a love one to this terrible disease. ALL of them focus on showing they care through simple acts of service. Consider the effect of giving one little word of kindness, a smile, a helping hand, or a moment of truly listening to another person. It could make the difference between a good or bad day for BOTH of you.         
• Collect memories not things. In an instance, everything in life can change. The people we have met in Pod D don’t talk about things such as job titles; houses; cars; and expensive electronic devices or clothes. They talk about memories of events and relationships. Stop waiting till tomorrow because schedules will still be jammed and the demands for your time and attention will outstrip your supply. Memories are the long-lasting adhesive that fastens pictures to the walls in our heart and mind. They can bring joy, comfort, and connection for a life-time.   

We saved the best ‘truth’ for last. Faith trumps fear. Someone once said, “Faith is seeing light with your heart when all your eyes see is darkness”. Something positive will come from my wife’s battle with cancer. So after months of chemo treatments, we head cautiously optimistic toward her June 4th Nanoknife surgery near Chicago. We have faith. So, we see light and with it hope.  

St. Augustine said it best, “The truth is like a lion. You don’t have to defend it. Let it loose. It will defend itself.”  We challenge you to let these 7 truths from Pod D loose in your life!! They will make the challenging times easier and the good times even better. And, that’s the truth!

One of the biggest blind spots and biases I have encountered in my career is the mindset – ‘ok, but that doesn’t apply to us because we are different’. Countless research findings, fundamental principles, and good techniques are often thrown out. Many organizations ultimately avoid changing how people perceive things should be done, how they interact, what they spend time improving on.  

Last month I had the honor of doing a workshop on communication at the Construction Education Institute near Chicago. We discussed common communication challenges including:

• the fundamental differences between sharing information and communication
• handling large amounts of information being exchanged because of new technology
• the criticalness of balancing high tech and high touch communication, and
• increasing awareness of individual communication styles and preferences then aligning to maximize understanding

Workshop participants determined in exercises that:

• There was too little communication to create and sustain high performance (79%)
• Their organizational grapevine needed pruning due to too much fertilizer – poor communication (92%).
• Current big wastes in their communication included: listening to better understand not reply; creating more dialog and less messages; and balancing ‘need to know’ and ‘nice to know’ information.

How would your organizational assessment of your current communication effectiveness compare – the same or different? 

Effective communication must drive outcomes – what is done, when it is done, and how consistently it is done.  Many organizations create lots of well-intended communication activities but ultimately don’t drive understanding and therefore behaviors. Personal accountability to learn and actively use proven communication skills, techniques, and processes is ‘hit or miss’ and there are limited or no consequences for avoiding or not doing it.

So, where do you start? Here are four fundamental areas that deserve time, attention, and disciple to create effective communication for high performing organizations.  

1. A strategy or plan.  Here we are talking about forethought not afterthought about some basics including: key objectives of your internal communication; messages to be shared; methods and media to use; key roles; feedback mechanisms; and success measurements.
2. Voice of the employee (VOE).  What are your employees expecting and actually experiencing with your communication efforts?  Customer feedback helps drive continuous improvement in your products and services.  Employee feedback should do the same for internal communication.
3. Key communication processes to be used.  These should include a balance of high tech and high touch.  What communication process is used for ‘breaking news’? For additional background or historical information?   For reinforcement of key messages?  Please don’t put all your communication eggs into a single process.
   
4. Standards.  As noted management expert, Joseph Juran once said, “without a standard there is no logical basis for making a decision or taking action.” For example, does your organization have standards for interpersonal communication; electronic and social media communication use; or the timing, frequency, and duration of organizational communication?                        

Research shows an organization of 100 people will spend 17 hours per week or more than $500,000 annually clarifying previous communication. Poor communication also impact internal collaboration, trust, relationships, consistency, and performance.

So is your organization really different when it comes to communication? If not, then what is proactively being done to improve its’ effectiveness?   
 
 
To learn more about Brian’s workshop on Communication download the topic description: …https://www.briangareauinc.com/uploads/3/9/0/0/39008241/wouldsomeonecommunicate-sb.pdf or contact us at 214-543-0844.
 

As 2019 starts, I have seen a number of people post or say something like – “new year and fresh start”. Ideally they are correct BUT realistically little to nothing will change (even with a fresh start) if we all continue to think, feel, and act the same way we did as 2018 concluded. Flipping a calendar page won’t do it – proactively changing behaviors will.

Change is hard. We naturally resist it. We think it’s great for others, but we are okay just the way we are. But, without change there can be no improvement. Without action, energy, discipline, and continued focus the goals and objectives we set for this new year will become even more challenging.  
Here are three key areas where active not passive commitment and effort could make a HUGE difference in 2019:

1. Organizational values. A major challenge with values is few, if any, employees or leaders would debate them. No one would say that integrity isn’t important or customer focus isn’t critical in business. But, here’s the catch – everyone would say their behaviors consistently support the organization’s values but they see others who do not. This is especially true in challenging and/or difficult situations. So why not proactively: 

• Take the guess work out – clarify the most critical values-based behaviors needed to ‘walk the talk’ in 2019. 
  
• Use simple, practical measurement tools and techniques to gage and address behaviors that are perceived to be both in and out of sync with your values. Add credibility by pro-actively addressing perceived out-of-sync behaviors. 
• Ensure there are consistent consequences – both positive and negative – for values. When values are actively lived they must be recognized and rewarded. If they are skipped, avoided, and/or only pulled out when convenient, then they must be proactively addressed and corrected. There can’t be double-standards and inconsistencies.  It simply erodes trust.
• Simulate desired values-based behaviors. We are always better prepared when we practice. Initiate ‘Value Scenarios of the Month’ for all employees and ‘Values Case Studies’ in all leadership development activities.  
  

2. Supervisor/employee relationship. It’s been said, ‘rules without relationships equals resistance.’ The only relationship that may be more important in a business than the company-customer relationship is the manager-employee relationship. Exit-interview research shows the No.1 reason people leave their jobs is their managers. And, research also indicates ‘as much as 35% of the variability in discretionary performance of employees is a result of managerial styles and behaviors.’
Author Maya Angelou once said, “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” So, this year how can we make employees feel more:

• Important?
• Genuinely cared for?
• Appreciated?

One of the most powerful ways to build a relationship or tear it down is time. Time always seems in short supply – some are controlled by it – others fight against it. And, time has been described as “the cruelest teacher, because first she gives the test, then teaches the lesson.” Build stronger, genuine relationships this year through improved quality time with employees. 
 
3. Individual Accountability. Mistakes happen. Assumptions and oversights occur. Sometimes people lose focus and are careless. People (employees and leaders) are not perfect. BUT, that doesn’t mean that there can’t be accountability!   

If there is ‘perceived’ blaming, shaming, lecturing, punishing, threatening, and/or humiliating then accountability will be avoided. If failure is considered fatal for individual performance and or career advancement, then risk taking and innovation will suffer. If accountability is only talked about when something goes wrong, people will naturally associate it with something negative.
So consider focusing on the following three accountability actions this year:

• Gain true consensus on what specifically employees are AND are not accountable for.
• Watch for and proactivity address people who are avoiding accountability.
• Embrace a new definition of accountability – it’s a personal choice to proactively influence, take ownership, and deliver desired results.
  

Take a proactive approach to Values, Relationships, and Accountability this year, instead of waiting or seeing if anything happens. Avoid reacting and responding – instead initiate! It could be just the catalyst for change and all those critical improvements needed in 2019.    

According to the U.S. National Resources Defense Council (NRDC), last year we threw away over 200 million pounds of turkey meat after Thanksgiving. That equates to over 6 million turkeys or more than $290M in the U.S. And, that doesn’t factor in the wasted resources (time, labor, food, water, etc.) to raise these birds. Unbelievable!

Eliminating waste (non-value) in organizations has also been and will continue to be a relentless journey. One significant mindset, practice, and framework to conserve resources and eliminate waste was the Toyota Production System (TPS). It became the precursor to Lean efforts today. In TPS, seven ‘wastes’ were originally identified. But an eighth waste – human capability (non-utilized talent, skills, and knowledge) was added when the western world adopted TPS.

Unfortunately, too often this 8th waste (human capability) gets the least amount of time and attention when implementing and sustaining most, critical continuous improvement strategies. There’s great technical alignment and execution but average to poor adoption of culture change. The result is non-sustainable results, frustration, and sometimes more waste.
 
Take a moment and reflect on the following equation:

   Current Employees’ Capabilities minus Capabilities Actually Used = Waste of Human Capability Potential

What impact would tackling human capability ‘waste’ have on your business’ customer value, quality, velocity, and cost? What ‘potential’ is untapped?

Below you will find my Waste of Human Capability Potential Assessment that is used with clients. Simply rate each question using the following scale where 1 = Little Waste; 2 = Some Waste; and 3 = Too Much Waste. Remember there is some ‘waste’ of human capability in ALL organizations.

Currently our organization’s ability to [fill in with each phrase below] creates this level of ‘waste’?  It doesn’t allow us to maximize the full potential of employees’ talents, skills, and knowledge.  

1. Communicate information then ensure its’ understanding  ___
2. Ask employees, “What do you think?” ___
3. Respect and value others (opinions, experiences, backgrounds) ___
4. Surface and respond to employees’ work related issues ___
5. Handle internal conflicts in a healthy manner ___
6. Collaborate - put diverse individuals/groups together to find new solutions to old problems ___
7. Place employees where their skills and knowledge are best utilized ___
8. Provide necessary resources (tools, technology, training, time) to ALL employees ___
9. Involve employees doing the job in daily decision-making processes ___
10. Empower employees to think and act like owners not renters ___
11. Encourage employees to learn from each other ___
12. Reinforce desired behaviors by both recognition and rewards ___
13. Proactively address both performance and behavior issues ___
14. Develop others (skills for current and future jobs) ___
15. Draw valuable lessons from past mistakes and errors ___
16. Capture best practices and lessons learned from people retiring or leaving ___

If you scored your organization a total of 16 points on the above assessment then congratulations, your organization is set up to maximize its’ workforce’s human capability potential.  If your total score was higher than 16 points then there is potential waste of employees’ heads (creative ideas and problem-solving), hearts (commitment), hands (physical work), and habits.

Let’s talk turkey (frank, straightforward, and seriously) – How much human capability ‘waste’ (untapped potential) would be uncovered in your organization if every employee honestly answered - “Are we maximizing your potential contributions to the organization? Why or why not?”     

Think back to previous Halloween evenings. Your neighborhood is filled with princesses, witches, ghosts, and superheroes going door-to-door collecting ‘treats’. Very quickly there’s information ‘on the street’ that there are full-sized candy bars at the Smiths’ house; homemade cookies at the Andersons’ house; oranges at the Holmes’ home; and pencils at the Jones’. Many kids start prioritizing which houses they will go to depending on the ‘treat’ they will or will not get. All the homes had good intentions, but some fell way short of meeting the trick-or-treaters’ expectations. The same holds true for many organization’s recognition efforts. 
        
Here’s a short, Halloween-themed assessment on real life recognition efforts I have seen in my nearly 20 years of consulting. For each scenario, determine if it was a ‘trick or treat’ specifically in regard to effective recognition practices:

1. Water popsicles were given out during shift to show appreciation for all the extra effort despite unusually high temperatures and humidity in the shop. BUT, the first day a number of employees passed. The second day EVERYONE participated because both sugar and sugar-free popsicles were made available.
Trick or Treat? 

Remember - in effective recognition, one size does not fit all.

2. Employees were thrilled with the special, free barbeque lunch served by management. There were lots of favorable comments after about the pork, sauce selections, baked beans, coleslaw, and cornbread BUT employees struggled to answer a basic question – Why are we celebrating?

Trick or Treat?

Remember – be specific as to what you are recognizing otherwise it may not be repeated.

3. A supervisor gave each project team member a colorful recognition certificate for completing the special project on time and under budget. One of the eight team members looked disappointed. The supervisor found out that he/she misspelled the employee’s names on their certificate.

Trick or Treat? 

Remember - little things mean a lot in showing appreciation!

4. A supervisor purchased ‘blank’ thank you cards and wrote personalized notes to each employee when they wanted to reinforce a specific employee behavior or result.

Trick or Treat? 

Remember – most people value personalized recognition and appreciation significantly more than generic thanks.

5. Customer feedback on an exception service recovery effort was received. The supervisor delayed communicating the feedback and recognizing the employee for two weeks – until their next scheduled staff meeting.

Trick or Treat? 

Remember – timeliness increases the perceived value of recognition.

Effective recognition is one of the key processes organizations can use to strengthen, reinforce, or increase the probability of a specific action, behavior, or result occurring. Recognition shows appreciation and thanks through non-financial means – unlike rewards which are financially based. When employees feel they have made sacrifices, put in extra effort, solved problems, and delivered results but nobody says anything, it can be perceived that ‘it just doesn’t matter.’  And, when employees feel it doesn’t matter, many will stop doing it or doing it consistently well.   

Would more effective recognition lift the ‘spirits’ in your organization?